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Epilogue
Theo
The guy across from Cy lands a punch, striking them square in the chest. I cringe from the sidelines, watching the match. Even after all this time, it doesn’t get easier to watch Cy in the ring. I’m tempted to step in front of them and strike the other guy out, even though I know Cy can handle their own. I just hate watching them get hurt.
They take the hit, returning it with an uppercut to the guy’s jaw. I bite my lip as I notice a small hickey on Cy’s inner thigh peeking out of their shorts. I might have gotten a little carried away last night, but it was a special occasion. We’ve been living together for two years now and it’s still hard to believe.
Everything happened in a bit of a rush when we first moved out. Dad was pissed, and we didn’t really have aplan, but we scraped together enough money between the two of us to figure out rent each month. That is until I got a better job. I started hanging out more at Knockout Gym with Cy, and Corbett, the accountant there, helped set me up with an interview with a nearby office. And at Cy’s urging, I even got my own membership at the gym. I’m not competing or anything like they do, but it’s nice to have the membership just to keep in shape.
The guy knocks Cy to the ground, but they flip over, straddling his back. Cy gets him in a choke hold, and my body tightens as I watch. Waiting to see if the guy will tap out. He tries to buck Cy off, but they hold tight. Finally, his hand goes to Cy’s bicep, and he taps until Cy lets go. A cheer erupts from the group around me. The ref calls the match announcing Cy’s win.
Corbett hugs me, his hand patting me on the back. “Tell Cy congrats for me. You two got something special planned for tonight?”
“Nothing huge. We’re going out for dinner, then back to our place for the night.” My hand goes to my pocket as I talk, double checking the box is still where I left it. I’ve been working up my nerves to ask Cy something important, and I think tonight is the night.
Corbett walks with me toward the locker room so he can meet up with his boyfriend Fred. He walks out first, leaving me to wait alone for Cypress. They’ve changed clothes from the match. No longer only in a small pair of athletic shorts. Cy has a loose muscle tank on, along with a pair of bright pink leggings. On most people, it’d look like an odd mix of clothes, but Cy makes it work. I pull them in for a hug. “You did great, love. Did you still feel up to going to dinner?” It was the original plan, but it doesn’t hurt to check in and make sure they’re up to it after the fight.
“Any chance we can just grab something on the way home? Chinese maybe?” they ask.
“Sure.” It’s not what I originally had planned, but dinner at home works too. There’s no rule that says I have to make a big deal out of this. Still, it doesn’t stop me from overthinking all of it as I pull into our favorite Chinese place. Cy leads the way, walking to the counter to put in a takeout order.
I drive us back to our apartment. We’re still living in the same place, but we’ll see about getting something bigger once Cy finishes school and gets a job. It works, and we don’t mind being squished together all the time. Anytimewe get too upset with each other, it typically leads to angry sex, and then we get over it. Sometimes I think Cy pisses me off on purpose just to get me riled up, but I kinda like it.
They follow me inside, setting the food on the coffee table in front of the couch while I kick off my shoes and make my way over to join them. As Cy is shuffling through the containers of takeout, I reach in my pocket and pull out the ring box. I use the food as a distraction, dropping to one knee and waiting for Cy to look at me. They keep sorting through the bags, taking a moment to realize I’ve gone silent.
Cy’s jaw drops as they look at the ring box. “Is that what I think it is?”
I open the box to show them what’s inside. “Cypress, will you marry me?”
“Yes! Fuck yes!” they kneel to my level, not bothering with the ring as they press their lips to mine. “Love you so much,” Cy tells me between kisses.
I pull the ring from the box, grabbing their hand to slip it on their finger. “I love you, too.”
The End
